Robert McMahon

Also by Robert McMahon

• July 30, 2004

  U.S.: John Kerry Accepts Democratic Nomination For President

  Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (file photo) Massachusetts Senator John Kerry on 29 July formally launched his campaign to unseat President George W. Bush with a sharp critique of Bush's conduct of the war in Iraq. Kerry told an enthusiastic crowd at the Democratic Party convention in Boston that he would restore the country's credibility abroad and boost its standard of living at home.

• July 29, 2004

  U.S.: Advisers Say Kerry Foreign Policy Would Embrace 'Internationalism'

  Kerry advisers say they will work more with the UN The top foreign-policy advisers to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry say if he is elected president he will stress the importance of diplomacy and international institutions in advancing U.S. foreign-policy interests. The advisers, many of whom served former President Bill Clinton, told a panel that Kerry would improve U.S. engagement with its allies, making its war on transnational terrorism more effective.

• July 29, 2004

  U.S.: Democrats Tout Kerry War Record As Key Difference

  One day ahead of his formal nomination for president, Senator John Kerry was celebrated as a war hero by his running mate and other leading Democratic Party officials. Speakers at the party convention in Boston yesterday highlighted Kerry's military service, saying it made him better suited to lead the country's war on terror than President George W. Bush.

• July 28, 2004

  U.S.: Arabs, Muslims Seek A Voice At U.S. Democratic Convention

  Arab- and Muslim-Americans constitute a small but potentially influential electoral bloc in this year's U.S. presidential elections. They are clearly a more visible presence at the Democratic National Convention in Boston than in past party gatherings. But they appear to be more galvanized against Republican President George W. Bush than demonstrably for the policies espoused by presumptive Democratic Party candidate John Kerry.

• July 28, 2004

  U.S.: Democratic Party Intensifies Attacks On Bush Administration

  Leading members of the U.S. Democratic Party have intensified their attacks on the Bush administration, saying it has failed Americans and divided the international community. The second day of the Democratic Party's national convention featured speeches describing presidential candidate John Kerry as a principled, courageous leader. Kerry's wife, in her first major national address, said her husband would help restore the standing of the United States in the world.

• July 23, 2004

  U.S.: Democratic Convention -- Gatherings Lack Suspense But Are Still Key To Presidential Hopes (Part 2)

  For more than 170 years, major U.S. political parties have chosen their presidential candidates in national conventions. They have evolved from gatherings of great drama -- in which candidates and party position statements were chosen at one time -- to events showcasing the personality of the top candidate. But even though today's conventions appear more packaged for television, political analysts say they are crucial to the success of a major party.

• July 23, 2004

  U.S.: Democratic Convention -- Foreign Policy, National Security To Dominate Debate (Part 1)

  The main opposition party in the United States -- the Democratic Party -- holds its national convention starting 26 July and plans to focus attention on foreign policy, a perceived weakness of Republican President George W. Bush. The chairman of the convention, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, tells RFE/RL that the party aims to show that Bush has mishandled foreign affairs by acting unilaterally. He says the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, Senator John Kerry, will make the case for restoring U.S. stature in international relations.

• July 09, 2004

  UN: Kosovar Albanians Maintain Pressure For More Local Powers

  Kosovar Albanian attempts to assume more powers over local affairs come at a time when the United Nations is trying to revive its process for implementing reforms in the province. Yesterday, the chief UN official in Kosovo rejected the local parliamentary assembly's constitutional changes, which included the right to call a referendum on independence from Serbia. Top UN officials and the Security Council have signaled they want to find a more effective way to devolve power from the five-year-old UN administration in Kosovo to local authorities.

• June 29, 2004

  War Crimes Tribunal Battles Intransigence, Deadlines

  United Nations, 29 June 2004 (RFE/RL) -- The chief prosecutor of the UN's war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia says Serbia and Montenegro has become a "safe haven" for at least 15 accused war criminals.

• June 25, 2004

  Annan: Political Reconciliation Key To Ending Iraqi Violence

  Kofi Annan (file photo) United Nations, 25 June 2004 (RFE/RL) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today that political reconciliation is the key to ending the violence that has surged in Iraq days before the transfer of sovereignty.

• June 24, 2004

  Facing Defeat, U.S. Withdraws Bid For Exemption From War Crimes Court

  UN Security Council The withdrawal of the U.S. resolution on the International Criminal Court (ICC) clears a potentially disruptive item from the Security Council's agenda at a time when the U.S. has sought council unity on Iraq.

• June 23, 2004

  Iraq: Beheading Draws Scorn At UN

  Kim Sun-il with his captors United Nations, 23 June 2004 -- The beheading of 33-year-old South Korean businessman Kim Sun-il yesterday has drawn widespread condemnation.

• June 21, 2004

  Iraq: After Stormy Year, UN Assumes Central Role

  UN Secretary-General Annan (file photo) Overlooked in Iraq's transfer of sovereignty process is the handoff of considerable responsibility to the United Nations after 1 July. The UN Security Council has designated the secretariat to assume key nation-building duties similar to its recent efforts in the Balkans and Afghanistan. It marks a major turnaround after a wrenching period for the UN in Iraq.

• June 18, 2004

  UN: Security Council Repairs Image With Iraq Vote, But Challenges Remain

  The United States and Britain famously walked away from the UN Security Council when they could not gain support for a resolution authorizing war in Iraq. But they were recently praised by council members for their flexibility following the unanimous adoption of a resolution endorsing Iraq's restoration of sovereignty. Experts at the UN say the case of Iraq shows that despite clashes that have raised doubts about the Security Council's legitimacy, it remains central to key security matters.

• June 17, 2004

  Annan Urges Iran To Cooperate On Nuclear Program

  United Nations, 17 June 2004 (RFE/RL) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged Iran to honor its commitments to the International Atomic Energy Agency over its nuclear program.

• June 09, 2004

  Iraq: UN Weapons Monitors Await Role From Security Council

  (file photo) Among the issues that are not resolved in the UN Security Council resolution restoring Iraq's sovereignty is the fate of the weapons inspection team known as UNMOVIC. The team is still technically charged with verifying the elimination of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, but has been sidelined since U.S.-led coalition forces toppled Saddam Hussein. Some council members want the group to return to Iraq and use their expertise to form a permanent weapons inspectorate. U.S. and new Iraqi leaders say it is too soon to decide on the UN inspection role.

• June 09, 2004

  UN: Security Council Resolution Boosts Iraq's Reassertion Of Sovereignty

  The UN Security Council has given its unanimous support to the upcoming transfer of sovereignty to Iraq's caretaker government. The resolution authorizes a U.S.-led multinational force in Iraq to maintain security under provisions that require close coordination between U.S. and Iraqi leaders.

• June 08, 2004

  Security Council Unanimously Approves Iraq Resolution

  UN Security Council (file photo) United Nations, 8 June 2004 (RFE/RL) -- The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution that endorses the handover of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government. The resolution also authorizes a U.S.-led multinational force to maintain security in the country.

• June 08, 2004

  Iraq: UN Security Council Prepares To Endorse Transfer Of Sovereignty

  Lakhdar Brahimi (file photo) With most of the substantive issues settled, the UN Security Council is expected to adopt later today a resolution endorsing the handover of sovereignty to interim Iraqi authorities on 30 June. Council members say the latest draft includes enough assurances from Washington that Iraqi authorities will maintain a high level of control over security matters after the transfer of power. Chief UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi told the council that the incoming government's top challenge will be to resolve the country's security issues.

• June 04, 2004

  Iraqi Foreign Minister Calls For Genuine Transfer Of Sovereignty

  United Nations, 4 June 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Iraq's foreign minister has urged the UN Security Council to ensure an "unambiguous" transfer of sovereignty to Iraq that assures the interim government some influence over the U.S.-led multinational force.

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